Data Wipe

Just because you delete a file and empty the Recycle Bin as well, doesn’t mean it’s permanently gone. It’s actually still somewhere inside your hard disk drive’s clusters, and can be retrieved with special programs. On the other hand, you can make sure this is not possible with the help of Data Wipe.

The application cleverly integrates into your system and can be used in both ways. In case parameters are configured, file removal can easily be triggered directly from the context menu, letting you target more file and folders at a time. If not, there’s always the main window to turn to, with several wipe categories.

However, initiating a wipe session through the main window can prove a bit tricky, not because the interface isn’t intuitive, but it can’t be resized, and the navigation area is too compact, making it difficult to select files and folders of interest. What’s more, there’s no search function to look for a specific target.

On the other hand, you can access multiple categories, such as the possibility to wipe an entire range of files based on their extensions, the content of a partition, or unused areas of your disk drive. Before initiating the process, you might also want to pay a visit to the settings panel to choose one of the three available strength levels.

What tips the scales in its favor a bit is the possibility to schedule events, just in case you work with a heavy load of sensible information you don’t want others to locate. However, picking files is done in the same difficult manner. Another option is dedicated to Internet navigation, with options to wipe temp files, cookies, and history.

Bottom line is that wiping data from your hard disk drive isn’t really necessary unless the situation requires it. If it does, Data Wipe is a reliable application that can assure you files and folders stay gone forever. Even if the general design can give you a little trouble, the application is worth a try overall.